Dehumidifier apparatus for air conditioning



y 29, 1956 P. SCHLUMBOHM 2,747,383

DEHUMIDIFIEJR APPARATUS FOR AIR CONDITIONING Filed April 22, 1953 United States Patent DEHUMIDIFIER APPARATUS FGR AIR CONDITIONING Peter Schlumbohm, New York, N. Y.

Application April 22, 1953, Serial No. 350,312

2 Claims. (Cl. 62-140) I which directs the dehumidified air through a duct of large cross-section and thus with small velocity and without draft effect against a person seated on a chair. In this respect the apparatus aims at a performance which is not identical with the usual air conditioner which directs cooled air against persons and it is also not identical in its performance with the usual dehumidifier which directs dehumidified air into a room. Another object of the invention is to allow the person who is sitting in front of the wide-diameter exhaust tube of the apparatus to reach over and adjust one shutter to control the flow of air over the condenser and another shutter to control the flow of air over the evaporator. Such manual controls are arranged on the side of the exhaust tube and are superior to any thermostatic controls because they allow a complete adaptation of the performance to the subjective need and sensitivity of the individual.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. This drawing was the drawing of my German patent application in 1928.

In the accompanying drawing a vertical chimney-like shaft 1 is arranged. At the upper end of the chimney a tubular exhaust tube 2 holds a fan propeller 3 by a bracket 4 together with the electric fan motor 5 and a thermostatic switch 6, to distribute the dehumidified air. The air has been sucked in under the action of this fan 3 through slot which may be regulated by a shutter 16, and through slot 13 which may be regulated by a shutter 14.

As shown in the drawing, a compression refrigerating apparatus is installed comprising the compressor 7 driven by the motor 8, the condenser coil 9, the expansion valve 11, and the evaporator coil 10. The lower compartment of chimney 1 holds the cooling coils and this compartment is insulated by a cork insulation 19. The middle section of the chimney 1 (separated by an air bafile 17 from the evaporator compartment) holds the warm condenser coil and opening 12 allows access for adjustments of the expansion valve 11. The lowest section of the evaporator compartment is built as a tub for receiving the water dripping from the evaporator coil. This water can be removed through outlet 18. The function is clear. Room air is sucked in through slot 15 to pass over the cold evaporator coils and to pass subsequently over the warm condenser coils supplemented by air which may be admitted through slot 13 and such air is then propelled through fan 3 into the room. Utilizing air from slot 13 to remove heat from the condenser allows to govern the temperature of the outgoing air within a certain range. Without air entering through this slot 13, the heat balance between evaporator and condenser would be theoretically even. However, it is practical to have this additional air from slot 13 available for removing heat from the condenser.

As shown in the drawing, the shutter 14 which regu lates the slot 13 and the shutter 16 which regulates the slot 15 are arranged on the side of the housing where the exhaust of the elbow 2 ends. This means that the knobs are in easy reach of the person seated on the chair. The large diameter of the elbow 2 and its flared open end means that air will be directed towards the person with small velocity and without draft effect. The dehumidified air then can move over the skin of the person or can be inhaled by the person to effect the comfort of a cooling effect which otherwise only could be obtained by an air conditioner of much larger motor and compressor capacity.

I believe that this air conditioner which aims more at a subjective effect than at an objective cooling effect has its special merit as a new apparatus for the comfort of a single person.

I also feel that the structure of a tubular cylinder as housing with a ninety-degree elbow fitting to the upper end of the cylindrical housing is a great simplification over the usual structures. To equip the bottom of the housing with a three-wheel caster arrangement of which the back wheel is of the swivel type provides a good maneuverability of the apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. Air conditioner for a single person comprising a vertical cylindrical tube with a ninety-degree elbow joining its upper end and being closed at its lower end to form at this lower end a watertight container and having an upper section below said elbow and a lower section above the level of the water in said watertight container, a refrigerant condenser being arranged in said upper section, a refrigerant evaporator being arranged in said lower section, said vertical tube having a slot in said lower section below said evaporator to allow air to enter said lower section, said slot being adjustable in its width by a sliding member having an operating knob, said cylindrical tube having a slot in said upper section below said condenser and said slot having a sliding member with an operating knob, said two knobs being arranged on that side of said cylindrical tube towards which the elbow is directed, said elbow forming the housing for air-propelling means whereby air can be sucked in through said slots in said cylindrical tube and can be directed through said elbow towards a person in front of it.

2. Air conditioner as claimed in claim 1 in which said vertical tube is mounted on a base with two wheels and a swivel caster which allows to dislocate the apparatus to change the direction of the exhaust of the elbow.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,884,534 Betz Oct. 25, 1932 2,286,491 Kucher June 16, 1942 2,369,411 Winkler Feb. 13, 1945 2,438,120 Freygang Mar. 13, 1948 2,648,202 Otterholm Aug. 11, 1953 2,687,741 Reading Aug. 31, 1954 

